During a visit to the Denver school, the Environmental Protection Agency conducted a radiation survey that failed to identify any areas warranted for soil sampling.
LINCOLN COUNTY, N.C. — Despite parents and experts pushing for soil sampling at a Lincoln County school that has coal ash buried underground, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) opted against collecting and sending off any potential coal ash for testing.
In a letter mailed out this week, the EPA said the agency “conducted a walkover radiation survey” at Rock Springs Elementary School.
“Radiation levels were consistent across the property and are considered within the average natural background,” the EPA wrote in its letter. “Areas that warranted collection of soil samples for further analysis were not identified.”
The agency’s visit to the Denver school followed WCNC Charlotte’s “Buried” investigation, which identified almost 300 tons of coal ash placed at Rock Springs Elementary School decades ago. Lincoln County Schools administrators initially downplayed community health and safety concerns, but eventually agreed to move forward with some form of testing.
Scientists have told WCNC Charlotte they’re not nearly as concerned about ground-level radiation exposure as they are afraid kids might eat or inhale tiny toxic coal ash particles, which is why they have said soil sampling is crucial to determining risk.
Lincoln County Schools Director of Communications and Media Services Karen Dellinger told WCNC Charlotte the district plans to present the EPA’s report to the school board at a meeting on March 4. She said the district will provide test results to the public following the meeting.
Contact Nate Morabito at nmorabito@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, X and Instagram.
